Taiwan war game triggers US questions over island's ‘will to fight' if PLA attacks
high-level civilian war game held in Taipei this week has exposed serious vulnerabilities in Taiwan's defences of its outer perimeter and eastern regions, prompting a retired US admiral to warn that Washington's involvement depended on 'Taiwan's will to fight'.
Advertisement
In the exercise simulating a 2030 cross-strait conflict,
Taiwan lost control of key outlying territories – most notably Penghu, a group of islands 50km (30 miles) east of the main island – as the People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched a multifront assault that quickly outpaced Taiwan's initial response.
The two-day simulation, organised by three Taiwanese think tanks led by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science, is one of the most detailed publicly conducted strategic exercises modelling a full-scale assault by mainland Chinese forces.
It reflects mounting concerns among local strategists and retired military leaders that Taiwan's eastern flank and offshore islands remain dangerously exposed amid
intensifying PLA threats
The result of the war game – whether the PLA seized Taiwan – or when the final outcome will be confirmed has not been made public, but the organisers said they would issue a full report.
Advertisement
Four teams represented Taiwan, the United States, Japan and mainland China, overseen by a control group.
Notable participants included Michael Mullen, a former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff; Dennis Blair, a former US Pacific commander; and Shigeru Iwasaki, former chief of staff of Japan's Self-Defence Forces. Nine retired Taiwanese generals and admirals, including Lee Hsi-min, former chief of the general staff; and eight lieutenant generals also took part.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong puts construction of 8,300 homes on hold in Fanling
Hong Kong's housing authorities have suspended a key public residential development in a northern town consisting of 8,300 homes due to the suspected high costs of building the flats on deep rock strata, according to a lawmaker. The suspension of the development, including its site formation and infrastructure works, in Fanling came to light on Sunday in a document the Housing Department and the Civil Engineering and Development Department submitted to the North District Council, a day before a meeting to discuss the matter on Monday. The Fanling Area 17 site, spanning about 5.47 hectares (13.5 acres) of both government and private land, is located to the east of Ling Shan Road and Jockey Club Road, south of Ma Sik Road and west of Fan Leng Lau Road. It currently houses the Fan Garden Police Driving and Traffic Training Centre. The document did not mention the exact reasons of the suspension but said: 'To align with the government's principle of maintaining sustainable public finances, the Housing Bureau has adjusted the development plan for the Fanling Area 17 public housing project after reviewing the cost-effectiveness of public housing initiatives over the next ten years.' Authorities said they had 'more flexibility to prioritise sites that are more suitable and cost-effective for construction' with sufficient land supply for public housing in the next decade. Lawmaker Edward Lau Kwok-fan, who is a member of the Legislative Council's housing panel, said the government's decision stemmed from geotechnical studies revealing unusually deep rock strata beneath the site, leading to significantly higher foundation costs.
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Nothing new': US Army parade holds no surprises for Chinese military minds
The US Army's parade through Washington on Saturday offered no surprises, Chinese military observers said, while cautioning that the full force of American power was not on show. The parade for the US Army's 250th anniversary showcased a range of American equipment, including Abrams tanks, Paladin artillery, robot dogs, reconnaissance drones, AH-64 Apache helicopters and Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Most of the technology is well known, with machinery such as the Abrams tanks deployed widely in conflicts ranging from the Middle East to Ukraine. The US equipment also has well-established Chinese equivalents, such as China's Z-20 helicopter , which is considered comparable to America's Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The Z-20 has advanced fly-by-wire controls, a five-blade main rotor for improved lift and range, powerful domestic engines and enhanced defensive systems. Less is known about newer equipment such as the drones and robot dogs, and the roles those weapons would play in a conflict Song Zhongping, a military commentator and former People's Liberation Army (PLA) instructor, said that many of the US Army's weapons were developed well before their Chinese counterparts, and although there had been upgrades in recent years, there were 'some shortcomings to a certain extent' in the American equipment.
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China's Wang Yi decries ‘unacceptable' Israeli attack on Iran, urges political resolution
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Israel's attack on Iran an 'unacceptable' breach of international law and urged measures to de-escalate tensions in phone calls with his Israeli and Iranian counterparts on Saturday. He told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that China could play a 'constructive role' in the peaceful resolution of the Iran nuclear issue, saying diplomatic solutions remained viable and a peaceful resolution was still achievable, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 'Such actions are particularly unacceptable while the international community is still seeking a political resolution to the Iran nuclear issue,' Wang said, referring to Israel's attack on Iran that started on Friday. 'The immediate priority is to take concrete steps to prevent further escalation, avoid plunging the region into greater turmoil, and return to diplomacy, which is the international community's shared consensus,' Wang said, noting that both Israel and Iran were key Middle Eastern countries and their relations affected regional stability. Wang reiterated China's position on regional conflicts, calling on both Israel and Iran to 'resolve differences through dialogue and find a path to peaceful coexistence'. 'Diplomatic solutions for the Iranian nuclear issue are not exhausted, and prospects for a peaceful settlement remain viable,' Wang said, adding that China stood ready to play a constructive role in this process.
